Cricket / Manav Suthar’s 10‑Wicket Haul Seals India’s Commanding Victory in Landmark Test at Galle

Galle, Aug 19: India clinched a commanding 165‑run victory over Sri Lanka on the final day of the opening Test at the Galle International Stadium, thanks to a scintillating spell from young left‑arm spinner Manav Suthar.

Playing only his second Test, Suthar returned figures of 6‑55 in the second innings to finish with match figures of 10‑101, dismantling Sri Lanka’s batting order and sealing India’s milestone 600th Test triumph.

Sri Lanka, chasing 372, were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs despite resistance from Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha. The emphatic win on a sluggish, low‑bounce pitch gave India an early 1‑0 lead in the two‑match series and 12 vital World Test Championship points.

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For Suthar, it was a second consecutive five‑wicket haul and his first career ten‑for, achieved without the need for a second new ball.

Resuming on a tricky surface offering variable bounce, de Silva and Dinusha fought valiantly through the opening 90 minutes. Their partnership crossed fifty, with de Silva reaching his half‑century by cutting Ravindra Jadeja through point, while Dinusha launched Kuldeep Yadav over deep midwicket to bring up his fifty in style.

India finally broke the frustrating 95‑run stand when Jadeja angled a fuller delivery at the stumps, extracting sharp turn and bounce. De Silva’s attempted sweep produced a top edge, comfortably taken by Suthar at short fine leg, ending his knock at 59.

Prasidh Krishna then struck immediately, removing wicketkeeper‑batter Niroshan Dickwella for 10. Dickwella looked uncomfortable throughout, even engaging in a quirky exchange with Yashasvi Jaiswal at square leg. On the last ball of the 60th over, Krishna’s back‑of‑a‑length delivery outside leg stump drew a feather edge, safely pouched by Rishabh Pant.

Three Wickets in an Over

Dinusha, who had scored a century in the first innings, advanced to 84 after lunch and looked set for a second hundred. But Suthar turned the match decisively with a devastating triple‑wicket maiden in the 76th over.

First, he forced Dinusha to glove a flighted ball with extra bounce to Dhruv Jurel at leg gully. On the very next delivery, he bowled Prabath Jayasuriya for a golden duck with an in‑drifter that clipped the top of off stump. Two balls later, switching to round the wicket, Suthar found Lahiru Kumara’s outside edge, caught behind by Pant, completing his second five‑wicket haul in as many Tests.

Though Keshara Nuwantha and Asitha Fernando briefly delayed the inevitable, Nuwantha’s paddle sweep off Suthar only took Sri Lanka past 200. The young spinner finished the game in the 78th over, his quicker arm ball skidding through to castle Nuwantha for 20, sparking jubilant celebrations in the Indian camp.

India’s victory was anchored by Devdutt Padikkal’s magnificent 167 in the first innings, which gave the visitors a massive 178‑run cushion. In the second innings, Rishabh Pant’s calculative 66 ensured India had enough runs to exploit the turning surface.

With Suthar’s brilliance, Jadeja’s support, and disciplined bowling from the rest of the attack, India sealed a comprehensive triumph in Galle’s landmark 50th Test match, taking a crucial lead in the series.

Brief scores: India 462 and 193 beat Sri Lanka 284 and 206 in 77.4 overs (Sonal Dinusha 84, Dhananjaya de Silva 59; Manav Suthar 6-55, Prasidh Krishna 2-16) by 165 runs.

(IANS)